Told By A Song
by Gina Hardee
Summary: Formerly Character Theme Songs  One-shots for individual AF characters  and couples  inspired by songs. Any song suggestions will be considered. :
1. Holly Short: Bad Reputation

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author Note: Hey everyone! Long time no see! Well, it hasn't been that long, but in my opinion it's been too long. Basically this is going to be a collection of one-shots based on songs that I think describe the character's main aspect. :P In other words I used songs that reminded me of the characters and wrote a little something for it. Lol. I hope you guys enjoy reading this just as much as I enjoy writing it. So here goes nothing. :) -TL16  
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**Character****: _Holly Short_**

**Song****: _Bad Reputation_**

(Avril Lavigne cover or the original by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts)

_"I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation  
>You're living in the past, it's a new generation<br>A girl can do what she wants to do and that's what I'm gonna do  
>An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation<br>Oh no, not me"_

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Holly Short marched into Police Plaza early on the morning of her first day in Recon. Several fairies were unbelieving of what they saw. Sure Holly was there everyday, but what shocked them was the golden acorn pin that marked her as a member of the Lower Element Police Reconnaissance squad. This would mean that she passed the initiation. It would mean that she was the first female in history to make it in.

Holly smirked as she headed towards the commanders office. She was ready to get started with her new job. It was all she had wanted for years and now she finally had it. Yeah everyone would have to get used to it, for they were stuck living in the past, but this….this was a new generation.

She reached out and knocked on Commander Root's officer door and received a gruff "Enter." from inside. She flung open the door and marched in as if she owned the place. Needless to say the Commander did not approve.

"Short. You better watch it. Lots of people aren't so sure about this decision. You're a test case. More business; less cockiness."

She nodded respectively, agreeing with his statement. No guarantees that she would obey however… "Yes, sir!"

Root nodded. "Good. Now as today is your first day on the job, you will be given a brief overview on the expectations of a Recon officer and a tour of special access areas. Meaning only Recon and Retrieval members are allowed. Understand?"

Holly nodded once more. "Yes, sir!"

Root grunted and went back to his paperwork. "Alright then. Your guide should be arriving any minute now. Behave yourself."

Holly was about to argue that she was a grown woman and that she could act as she chose, but there was a knock on the door and a familiar, violet-eyed elf walked in.

He nodded politely at her. "Corporal Short."

"Captain Kelp."

Root barely glanced up. "Kelp. You know what we discussed last night. Go over the rules with her and show her the training area and the Ops booth. No fooling around."

"Yes, sir." Captain Kelp nodded and turned to Holly. "So, you ready?

Holly smiled impishly. "Of course."

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><p>After they had quickly and briefly (thank the gods) reviewed the rules, the two made their way towards the Ops booth. When they had reached the door, Trouble paused and looked at Holly.<p>

"So, you ready for this?"

Holly looked at him puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Captain Kelp chuckled. "Oh, you'll see." And with that he turned and knocked on the door.

There was the sound of hooves clicking on tile as someone made their way to the door. The door remained shut, but the fairy on the other side spoke.

"Yes? Who is it?"

"Captain Kelp. I'm giving the new recruit a tour. May we…"

Trouble didn't have to say it twice. Hearing new recruit was enough. The door was flung open revealing a brown-eyed, tin-foil hat wearing centaur.

"New recruit? Are the rumors true? Has Root really…"

Holly stepped forward. "Rumors? Well, it seems that I'm popular here already."

The centaur snickered and adjusted his hat. "Well, I guess it is true then. First female in history. That's quite a feat, if I may say so myself."

Holly held out her hand and the centaur shook it. "Corporal Holly Short, ready for action."

"Foaly. Technical consultant to the Lower Elements Police. And unlike you, I'm irreplaceable."

The elf snorted. "Sure. They won't get rid of me, someday I'll be among the best."

Foaly led the two elves into the Ops booth. "Ah, a little cheeky are we. I'd watch what I say if I were you."

"You have a bit of an attitude yourself, mister."

Trouble's eyes widened in shock, but Foaly was unfazed. The centaur merely shrugged off the comment and adjusted his hat.

"Yes, but not matter how much Root wants to kick me out. He can't. The security system only responds to my voice. If anyone else tries to operate it all it will do is crash. And seeing as the Ops Booth is the center of security and communication, this is not a good thing. Besides, everyone loves me."

And with that he went back to his computer and began furiously typing. Holly took this as a chance to look around. There were various pieces of technology scattered all around the room. Computer screens covered just about every wall.

Holly turned back to Captain Kelp. "He's a bit of a nerd isn't he? Smart aleck too. And what's with the tin-foil hat?"

Trouble smirked and motioned for her to follow him. The two left the Ops Booth and head to the place where the officers did a lot of their training. "Foaly is a bit paranoid, to put it lightly. He's always afraid that the human intelligence agencies are trying to read his mind and steal his ideas. And don't get him started on Opal Koboi. And to answer your other question, yes he is a nerd. A genius in fact. Without him, this place would be utter chaos."

Holly raised an eyebrow. "So he wasn't kidding about being irreplaceable?"

"Nope. Thought sometimes I think Root just might snap and fire him."

The two laughed and before they knew it they had reached the training area. Captain Kelp opened the door and motioned for Holly to enter. He closed the door behind him and the two looked around. It was empty, no one was in sight.

Trouble's purple eyes glinted with mischief. "So, how do you feel about a little match? One on one?"

Holly grinned. "Okay. But, I have to warn you. I'm an excellent fighter."

Captain Kelp glared. "Bring it on."

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><p>About 15 minutes later Holly stood over the Captain with her foot on his chest. A crowd had assembled about five minutes into the match and had steadily grown as it went on. Bets had been placed and were now were being exchanged. Seems like the new girl had a lot spunk going up against one of Recon's best. Well, it was worth it.<p>

Holly bent down and looked Trouble in the eye. "See I told you so."

She took her foot off of him and held out her hand to help him up. "Truce?"

He grudgingly accepted her hand and nodded. "Truce, but Short…"

"Yes?"

The captain winked. "This isn't over."

Holly smiled and headed towards the door. "Of course it isn't."

Just as she was about to open the door, there was a loud yell. "SHORT! GET IN HERE NOW!"

Holly looked at Trouble puzzled. "What did I do? I've been with you the whole time."

The elf smirked. "No idea. It's Root. He's incapable of speaking calmly. Maybe he caught wind of the our little match and he's about to tell you off for beating up a superior officer?"

"Ha! You wish."

The fairies nearly jumped as there was another yell from Root's office. "SHORT!"

Holly sighed. Great. Just great. In trouble, no pun intended, on the first day on the job. And as she headed towards the commander's office, she couldn't help but thing that this probably wouldn't be the first time Root would call her out. She just seemed to be a magnet for trouble. But, there was one thing that she new for sure. She was going to do what she wanted, when she wanted. Rules? Who needed them?

Breaking the rules and going by instinct was better in her opinion. It was worth it every time.

"SHORT!"

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><p><strong>AN****: So? What do you think? :)**

**Arty's next! XD Review please!  
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	2. Artemis Fowl II: Bet On It

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author Note: Yay, Arty! ^_^ -TL16  
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**Character****: _Artemis Fowl II_**

**Song: _Bet On It_**

(Zac Efron, High School Musical 2)

_"How will I know if there's a path worth taking?  
>Should I question every move I make?<br>With all I've lost, my heart is breaking  
>I don't wanna make the same mistakes..."<em>

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Artemis Fowl the Second sat on his bed with his head in his hands. His battle with the Atlantis Complex was proving to be more difficult than everyone originally thought. The guilt he felt towards his past endeavors was almost unbearable for the Irish 15 year-old. His friends and family told him that it didn't matter, that it was all in the past, that he had changed. But nevertheless, he was not convinced.

_I have to do this on my own, _he thought during one of the rare moments that he could think clearly,_ I am the only one who can convince myself otherwise. I have to realize it own my own, but…how?_

He was overcome with the guilt. He had lied to one of his best friends. He had even kidnapped her at one point. And then there were all of the times that someone had gotten hurt because of one of his schemes.

_And it was all because of something that I wanted. I was so selfish. How could I let my plans get in the way of what mattered? Especially when they needed me the most…_

Artemis sighed and slowly shook his head. _No…I shouldn't think like that. I can get past this. It's just the Complex talking…Everyone is right I've changed. I can do this. I will win. I always do._

But, alas, the Complex was still not willing to give up. Once again, the guilt and pain forced their way into his thoughts. He couldn't have even a moment of peace. All of the lies. All of the hurt. His past as a criminal mastermind. His attempts at becoming fully legitimate.

_How am I supposed to know if this is right? Is it true…what they're saying? Am I truly good? Or am I still the criminal that I was raised to be? With all that's happened, all I've done, all I've lost…_

That was it. Artemis suddenly stood up from the bed and started to pace back and forth around his room. The genius was determined to get through this. He had to. And he could do it. He was Artemis Fowl after all.

_I don't want to make the same mistakes. I want to make this right. Not for my own sake. But for those that I love. The ones that I keep pushing away…The ones I lied to…the ones I hurt…_

He fell to the floor, tears trying to fight their way through. Why wouldn't it just STOP ALREADY!

_Mother…Father….They want me to change. They want me to join them in their efforts to make the Fowl name into a respectable one. Not to mention the fact that they want to be a family. Mother…Mum…and her attempts to make me a normal teenager. _

_Butler….he's been by my side since my birth. Never leaving. Supporting me in my plans when no one else would. He was always willing. He's always been there for me. Through all of our adventures, above and below the earth. Even if a lot of the times he was hurt. And then…I accused him of being against me. For once…I didn't trust him. I was a fool…_

_And…then…_

A tear fell from his hazel eye. _Holly…_

_Holly…I kidnapped her. For gold…That's all I wanted. I never considered the effects of my actions. When they sent in the troll, she risked her life to save Butler and Juliet. She even healed Butler when he was nearly dead. But not once, oh no, not once but twice. She didn't have to do that. She wouldn't have had to if it wasn't for me and my actions. My stupid, stupid mistakes…_

The tears were falling freely now. Artemis attempted to stand, but fell back down to his knees.

_She's risked her life for me so many times. But for what reason? She should hate me. She has every reason to. But yet, she doesn't. And abused that trust. Our friendship. I used her to get what I wanted. I lied to her…I told her she was responsible for mother's illness. I blamed her. And…she believed me. How…How could I do that to her? I..I…_

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Artemis jerked his head in the direction of the door and called out. "Yes? Who…Who is it?"

Holly spoke from behind the locked door. "Artemis? Are you alright? Come out, please. Let us help you. Please, we want to help…."

Artemis backed away from the door, shaking his head though she couldn't see him.

_Holly…_

_The lies….The pain…_

When he didn't respond Holly spoke again. "Artemis…It's okay. Just open the door…"

He continued to shake his head and finally managed to choke out words. "No…No, just go away! I don't need your help!"

Holly sounded close to tears herself. "Artemis…Arty. Please don't do this."

Artemis didn't respond. He didn't have to. Holly sighed and started to walk away, but she had one last thing to say.

"Arty…just know that I've forgiven you for everything. It happened in the past. It's over. You've changed."

Artemis scowled. _I know this already. Everyone keeps saying it again and again. I just can't believe it._

"Arty…I-" Holly sighed again and walked away, leaving her statement unfinished. Artemis stared at the door, wondering what it was she wanted to tell him.

_Holly…I will never be able to forgive myself for the pain I've caused you. The lies. I just can't…_

Artemis forced himself to stand. The teen crossed over to the mirror and observed his reflection. He was almost unrecognizable. Sure he still had pale-while skin and raven hair. But he was thinner than usual as the result of being locked in his room for weeks without food. He hardly recognized himself.

But that's not what he focused his attention on. In the mirror he stared at his eyes. One an ice-cold blue and the other a warm hazel. Holly's eye. They were apart of each other now. The eye was a constant reminder of what he had done.

_Holly. I'm sorry. I just can't do this. I can't forgive myself. You have every right to hate me. But why don't you? Why do you still care? _

His thoughts drifted back to her unfinished statement. What had she been trying to tell him?

_Surely it was more than forgiving me? Surely it was…But just what? I don't understand. I know that you can't have feelings for me…not other than friendship of course. Not after what I've done. You've even said it yourself. It's over. Not that there was anything to begin with._

Artemis turned away from the mirror and continued his pacing. As he passed the door for the fifth time, however, something caught his eye.

He knelt down and picked up the slip of paper that had been slid underneath the door. He unfolded it and read the words written on it, not believing what was being said.

_Well Mud Boy, I realize that you aren't going to listen to me. But at least give it a chance. Get over your stubbornness and just listen for change. This whole thing is getting out of hand. You have to give us a chance to help you. Please Artemis. Admit that you can't do this alone. You need us and we're here for you. We always will be. Always have. And not in spite of what has happened. But because of it. All that we've been through. After all that happened. All it has done is brought us closer. It's made us stronger. Don't blame yourself. Some of us are at fault too. You're not alone. Arty…just let go. Forget about what happened in the past. Instead…focus on the future. Don't linger on what has already gone, but prepare yourself for what is to come. Please, Arty. The past doesn't matter anymore, I don't like seeing you like this. I miss the old you. Not the old you that kidnapped me, but the new old you. The teenager that was willing to do anything for his friends and family. The boy who thought about someone other than himself for once. That's the Artemis Fowl I fell in love with. That's the Artemis Fowl who I know is still there somewhere. You just have to believe. ~Holly Short_

Artemis stared at the note unblinking. Holly had just said everything. Turns out she did care for him. More than he knew…but why?

He re-read the note and slowly it began to sink in. Maybe…Maybe Holly was right.

Holly's words echoed in his mind. Continuously playing on repeat. _'We're here for you…Always…brought us closer….'_

_'Forget the past…focus on the future… Don't linger on what has already gone, but prepare yourself for what is to come…'_

But most importantly. _'The teenager willing to do anything for his friends and family…thought about someone other than himself…That's the Artemis Fowl I fell in love with…"_

_'Artemis…fell in love…'_

_'love….'_

Artemis's mind had gone blank. Holly loved him? But…why? Did…Did he feel the same? This note had trigged some kind of response from the Complex. Unlike the words that had been spoken before. No…this was different.

_'Holly loves me…she believes in be. I don't understand. She should hate me. I…'_

Artemis dropped the note and let it fall to the floor. He crossed back over to the mirror and looked at his reflection once more. He stared at his hazel eye. Holly's hazel eye…

_Holly…_

Turning away from the mirror, Artemis approached his wardrobe and flung open the doors. Selecting a clean shirt, slacks, and a pair of loafers from it, Artemis changed and combed his disheveled hair.

He threw open the door and set off at a run out of his room. Before it was too late.

_I…Am I really doing this?...Yes…I think so…_

He ran through the halls of the manor, his pace quickening as he went. The Complex had been banished and he knew now what he must do.

_I must make things right again. No more. No more. This done. I have changed. I'm not who I once was. I will be apart of my family. Mother, Father, Butler…I shall not let them down._

He turned around corners, narrowly avoiding the walls. Time was of the essence.

_No more lies…No more pain...I must live for the present. For the future. For everyone. _

_I'll do this my way. I'll be…I'll be me. Not what everyone else wants. But…me…just me. I'm Artemis Fowl. I always win. And Holly knew that. She knew it all along. Everyone did. They were right all I long. I was foolish not to listen to them._

_I will be better than before. What has happened in the past as only brought new strengths. Strengths that can be used for the better of all. For those I love, family and friends….For the world…Yes, the world shall remember the name of Artemis Fowl II…_

Artemis ran down the stairs at an alarming pace and entered into the main entryway, successfully startling Butler and Holly, who was just about to leave. They froze where they stood, while he stood there panting, trying to catch his breath The two watched him with disbelief.

Holly was the first to recover. "Ar-Artemis? Wh-what?"

Artemis smiled and walked to where she stood by the door. He didn't say a single word. He didn't have to. In fact he couldn't, for he had chosen to tell Holly the good news not through words. But…instead with a passionate kiss. And that…said everything that would ever need to be said.

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><p><strong>AN****: Was the end too cheesy? Too sudden? Did that seem like Artemis? I was aiming for the whole sudden revelation type thing. Holly's note triggering a reaction from him that just couldn't be controlled. Kinda like when he watched that video and re-gained his memories. :)**

**Review please! **

**Coming soon: Chix Verbil: Sexy And I Know It ^_^**

**_~Troublelover16~_  
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